Collection Framework in Java

The Collection Framework is a set of classes and interfaces in Java that provides a unified architecture for storing and manipulating groups of objects. It consists of several core interfaces, including Collection, List, Set, Map, and Queue, as well as their corresponding implementations and utility classes.

Here's a brief overview of each interface:

  • Collection: The base interface for all collections in the framework. It provides methods for adding, removing, and iterating over elements in a collection.

  • List: An ordered collection of elements, where each element is identified by an index. Implementations include ArrayList, LinkedList, and Vector.

  • Set: An unordered collection of unique elements. Implementations include HashSet, TreeSet, and LinkedHashSet.

  • Map: A collection that maps keys to values. Each key is unique and associated with a single value. Implementations include HashMap, TreeMap, and LinkedHashMap.

  • Queue: A collection that orders its elements in a specific way for processing. Implementations include PriorityQueue, ArrayDeque, and LinkedList.

The Collection Framework provides a powerful and flexible set of tools for working with collections of objects in Java. By using the interfaces and implementations provided, you can easily store, manipulate, and iterate over groups of objects, making it an essential part of Java programming.